The Spirit Life of Salym Christopher Brighton
by nox-immortale
Summary: My name is Salym. I was born in 1609, and this is (part) of my story. I live in the Salem Colony, and I am definitely different. [This is actually some of the background on my RP character for the Rise of the Guardians fandom that I am in with my friends, and I used this to complete a short story requirement for my creative writing class at uni- also up on dA and FP . com]


It was the end of October and nearly time for the harvest as I walked into town carrying a letter that had been delivered just a short time ago to the door of our house with the intent on giving it to my father. Our home was usually where all the post was delivered due to the simple fact that my father was the minister and my elder brother was the doctor of our little colony in Massachusetts. Therefore, my family was considered one of the most important and had all the post arrive at our farm to be brought into town.

As I searched for my father I heard whispering all around me talking of the letters that had been received from the Jamestown Colony to our south. Letters had arrived from the families that were there talking of a great illness that was affecting the area. It was worrisome just for the simple fact that the illness could spread to our colony in Salem. When I arrived at the center of town, I saw my father outside our little meeting house that served as town hall, court and church in heated discussion with my brother, Samuel.

"Father, the people are worried about this illness that is within the Jamestown Colony."

"I understand this, Samuel, but until we are asked for aid, we cannot interfere."

"People have been asking for aid in the letters to our colony. They need our aid, or there will not be a Jamestown to ask for it." Samuel was bold to argue with our father. As minister, he was the highest authority within the colony, but my brother, too, was a great authority, being our only doctor.

My father opened his mouth to speak once more, to continue this debate, when I decided to speak. "Father, this came for you today. It is from Jamestown." I handed him the letter and listened as he read it aloud for my brother and I to hear

_Dear Salem Colony,_

_Jamestown has become plagued with a devastating illness that has been at our borders for a time. Afflicted are covered in pocks that raise and fester, before then opening and consuming the body. Our doctors and priests are overcome with this phenomenon. The people of Jamestown are dying all around us and even more are with the illness. We need assistance, or soon our colony will cease to exist. Will you aid us?_

_Jamestown Colony_

"See, Father, there is the request for aid that you declared you need. Now, may we go and assist them?" Samuel could be persistant if he wished to be, enough so that it grated at my mother and father's patience.

"Enough, Samuel," my father snapped. His eyes scanned through the letter once more and he sighed. "Yes, we will aid them. Return home and pack your things, Samuel, we will leave at dawn with your mother and sister."

Samuel nodded, "Yes, Father," and he turned to run back towards our home.

My father turned towards me with a solemn expression on his face. "Salym, I want you to stay and take care of the harvest, or we will not have anything to eat for the year. I am trusting you to complete your tasks and look after the farm."

"Yes, Father. I will get it completed."

He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled softly. "Return home. Tell your mother and sister that we leave for Jamestown at dawn." With that, he turned and entered the building.

I ran all the way home and found my sister, Sarah, working outside picking herbs from her garden to dry for her job as a midwife. "Sarah! Sarah! I have a message from father. He says that you are to pack for a trip to Jamestown at dawn. He said that you, Mother, Father and Samuel are going down to aid the colony."

She turned to me with wide green eyes that looked like my mother's. "Dawn, you say?" I nodded. "Very well. Take these herbs to Sabina and ask her to dry them. She will know what to do." She handed me the stack of herbs before picking up her skirt and walking into the house where I heard her tell our mother that they were leaving at dawn.

I did as I was asked and took the herbs to Sabina. She is the daughter of one of the poorer families in town and so to make a bit of extra money, was sent to work for my family to help ensure that she would have food in her belly.

She took them with a small thank you, and I returned to the field to finish my work. The end of the day came quick enough, and by the time I returned to the house, my family was gathering to have supper and say grace. It was a simple life, but it was one my siblings and I were used to. After supper, my father would sit in his chair in front of the fire and read from the family bible while my mother and sister worked on their stitching and my brother and I listened. Then my family would retire to our rooms for the night.

After my family left, I completed my tasks of harvesting the food and beginning to can them for the winter and the following year. It was not a new thing for me to be alone, but this time, the loneliness was more pronounced. I decided to take my frustrations and loneliness out on the wood that my family would need for the winter. I grabbed the axe and went out the door.

I stood there for several hours chopping wood until a man from our town came up to me.

"Salym."

"Good morrow, Mr. Lydon. How are you today?" I looked up at the man standing in front of me.

"Good, my boy, I am well. I came to warn you of a storm."

"What storm, Mr. Lydon?"

"A bitter cold is fast approaching, and with it, is coming a large snow. I just wanted to let you know that you will need to put your animals in the barn."

"Alright, many thanks to you, Mr. Lydon."

The sun was sinking behind the forest that surrounded my family's farm when I finished with the wood, so I decided to put the animals in the barn and retire for the night. I took the axe and the last load of wood to the shed and set out for the pastures. Walking along the dark path that night was spooky, to say the least. It was the night before All Hallows Eve, and the town liked to be in their houses before the witches decided to come out. What with the cold weather bringing snow, I had to hurry to put the animals away and make it back before the worst of the storm hit.

I made it to the barn and put the animals away and locked the door. Turning around and beginning to head back to the house I watched as the wind pulled at the trees. The branches began swaying and one large, loose branch broke free from the massive oak directly above me. Plummeting down from high above the branch landed on my head, knocking me easily to the ground.

The last thing I remember is the world going dark.

When I woke up, the moon was full, high in the sky, lighting the thick blanket of snow on the ground. I noticed that everything was covered in snow and ice, making it look like the middle of winter, rather than the end of fall, just after the harvest.

I began walking back towards my home when I heard a soft meow behind me. Turning, I saw a black cat with glowing orange eyes walking around an old square lantern with a dimly lit candle. I walked over and knelt down to look at her and she rubbed up against my leg, so I sat there petting her.

"Salym?" I heard my name being called, so I turned around. "Salym Brighton?"

I stood up to look at the newcomer. "Yes?"

"You are to take over my job."

I stared at him. He looked old, but his age masked a deep strength that made him seem older than what he looked. "I do not understand."

"You are to take care of the souls from now on. Cross them over, bring them back, then cross them over again. You are to be the Ferrier of Souls, so that I may retire and be at peace. Take the lantern and begin your new life."

What the old man said did not make any sense, but I picked up the lantern anyway. "What do I do? How do I become the Ferrier of Souls? Who are you?" I looked up at him and considered what he was asking of me.

"You already have. The cat will help you. Name her well, and she will be with you for all time. My name is Charon, and I have been the Ferrier of Souls for many generations. I am tired and wish to rest. It is All Hallows Eve, your job has begun. Wish for the souls to make use of their time, and they will, wish them to return and they must go. But be warned, if you lose that lantern, which will light the night before All Hallows Eve and go out the night after All Saints' Day, you will be hard pressed to complete your assigned tasks. Good luck, young Salym, and be warned." With that, he disappeared into the forest and out of sight.

The cat wound herself around my legs again, so I bent down and picked her up. "How about a name, girl? Sarah?" She sneezed and shook her head. "Lucy?" She hissed. "How about something about the harvest?" I received a mew and looked at her. "You like that name? Harvest?" She stretched her paw towards my face and mewed again. "Harvest, it is then." We began our walk back towards town and I noticed that the candle began burning brighter until the entire lantern was consumed in light. When it died down, there were more people than I had ever seen in our little colony walking around. Their skin had an opaque, transparent quality, and they were nearly see through.

One person approached me and I stared. "Where are your parents, Salym?"

I gaped. "Do I know you, sir?"

"You do, boy. I am your mother's father, returned for the evening of All Hallows Eve. Where are they?"

I looked a bit closer and saw that he truly was the man I knew as grandfather. "They are on the road to the Jamestown Colony to rescue them from disease."

He nodded. "Then I will visit with you, and then find your mother. When did you take over for the Ferrier, Charon?"

"Just this evening. Why can I see you, when you have been gone from this world for five years?"

"On All Hallows Eve, the souls of the departed return to visit with family in the living world. It is a tradition that has lasted many generations."

I nodded and looked across the town. "I understand." When I looked up, my grandfather was gone, leaving me with Harvest. "It seems like it is just you and me, girl." She rubbed her head on my ankle, making me laugh, "Come on, let's go."

As the night wore on, I met with more and more spirits of the departed. Many did not interact with their living family members, but rather looked in on them to make sure all was well. Some spoke to the children, as they seemed to be the ones that could see the souls seeking contact, and still others tried to speak with the adults of the town, but were not heeded, seemingly unseen. It was not until the night was almost over that I had my first physical encounter with one of the living men of the town.

"Good evening, Mr. Lydon" I said to the old man.

Acting as if he had not heard me, I reached my free hand out to touch his arm, but I could not. My hand went through the man as if I did not exist. I turned around and looked at the town and began to panic. "What is going on? Why can I not touch him? What has happened to me?"

"You are no longer among the living."

I whipped around so fast that Harvest jumped to avoid my stepping on her tail. "Charon! What happened to me?"

"You are dead."

"When? How?" I could not form more than one word sentences.

"Earlier in the evening, when the branch from the old oak tree fell on your head."

"Oh. So I have to cross with the rest of the souls?"

Charon shook his head. "You remain here to ensure that all the souls that pass throughout the year cross over."

As he said that, the lantern lit again to the fullest strength and the souls disappeared. "What happened?"

"The sun came up, the souls have returned. You may rest, but know that you must find souls that pass on now and help them cross the spirit barrier." Charon disappeared again, leaving Harvest and I alone.

Time passed and I was more comfortable with my tasks. There was one man that had passed on to the spirit world that I was to aid to cross, but he refused, instead, taking my lantern and disappearing. For days, Harvest and I searched for him, only to come up with nothing. He was gone.

I began to feel depressed, not having my favourite possession with me, so I set out another night to try and find it. I quickly located the man, and asked for him to return the lantern to me. Once again, he refused.

"Please, I must have that lantern. Will you give it back to me?"

"I will not. I will not leave my family. I will not leave my children." He was frantic, trying to find a way out of this situation.

"You will not be gone from them forever. Only until All Hallows Eve, when I return your spirit to the world of the living for the night. I do this each year, but you must pass the spirit barrier."

"I will not! My family needs me. They depend on me."

I could easily sympathize with the man. He did not seem much older than my father was at the time of my passing, which in truth was not very old at all. "You cannot do anything for them now. They will be alright, but you must move on. You can see them on All Hallows Eve, you have my word. But you must return to me the lantern, or no spirit will cross back over."

He held up the lantern and I gently took it from him. "You will keep your word that I will return to them that night?"

I nodded and he smiled, ready to cross over.

All Hallows Eve that year was fairly uneventful, but I made sure that the man who stole my lantern returned to his family for the evening. I looked in at the end of the night and saw him smiling and laughing with his children and his wife, all able to see him. "Well, Harvest," I said looking down at my cat. She turned her orange eyes up to meet mine, "It seems we did a good job this year. Let's let him know it is time to say goodbye."

I walked into the small room and looked at the father. "It is time to say goodbye, but you will see them in one year."

He nodded and said soft goodbyes to his children, before turning and leaving with me. "Thank you, Ferrier," he whispered before he was sent back across the spirit barrier.

"You are welcome." I let out a soft sigh at the thought of another year over. "Let us go home, Harvest. I am tired."

She mewed at me, as if to say that she agreed, before I picked her up and began our journey home as the sun began to rise.


End file.
